Lately I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure in relation to SikhNet. I’m always juggling a lot at SikhNet but there are times when the weight feels a lot more, particularly when it is not just thoughts and worries related to day to day work. SikhNet reaches so many people so there is always a certain amount of negativity and division that I have to deal with on a regular basis, along with just trying to keep the organization funded so we can continue to serve the needs of the times.

Why does it feel like Sikh people, Sikh Organizations, Sikh Projects, etc are always competing with each other? I know people want to do things their own way and not everyone agrees on the same things, but I always hope that we can move beyond this and work together more. Is it too idealistic to think that we could actually find some commonality and work together more and stop tearing each other down?? It’s like everyone is in their own "world" doing what they are doing and dis-regarding the whole. I suppose it might be easier in the short term, but somehow we have to push beyond on the individuality towards more unity.

It feels like there are weights on my Turban..pressing down on my head! We have a lot of projects going on at SikhNet and there are always too many things to do. It’s that endless feeling of of trying to plug the leaks in the dam with my fingers. Never enough hours in the day to do what needs to be done. At SikhNet we have multiple mobile phone applications in development, a major Sikh Online Flash video game in production, wrapping up Youth Film Festival Project, working on partnerships with Sikh TV channels, Trying to start a new volunteer social fundraising effort, Just launched the Gurbani Shabad Printer service, totally changing the daily hukamnama page so that you can customize and save the layout and format for the hukam; Working on taking the SikhNet Audio stories to the next level as videos with semi-animated illustrations….the list goes on..and on. Myself and Guruka Singh are the only full time employees of SikhNet along with 4 part time employees and various companies and freelancers that we hire to help with various projects. That might seem like a lot of people….but it really isn’t close to being enough. Whenever we create new services we not only have to spend time on the new ones but we have to maintain and support all the previous ones.

We are getting ready to start our annual fundraiser for SikhNet which is a necessity to get support from you, so that we can continue to operate SikhNet. The frustrating part is that it can be SO time consuming and hard to get people to contribute to SikhNet. I think we spent about 4 months trying to raise the funds for SikhNet last year. That’s a quarter of the whole year!

We get a lot of emails and comments from people that appreciate Sikhnet services, but to me the true show of support is by giving back to SikhNet. In other words, when you give something back to SikhNet you are not only helping continue this service but are helping inspire thousands of others who visit and benefit from SikhNet. Your support is actually telling us that YOU VALUE SIKHNET and don’t take it for granted. If I were face to face with you we could talk about SikhNet in a personal way, but with SikhNet being online it is less personal and easier to "brush off" for someone else to give to. There is no "Someone else". That someone is YOU.

SikhNet does need your support in whatever form you can give it. What is important is that you give or do something. The best thing you can do is sign up as a monthly donor to SikhNet. Give whatever amount you can afford whether it is $5 a month or $500 a month it all adds up if we each take part in this seva.

It would mean a lot to me if you become a SikhNet supporter. SikhNet will be celebrating 16 years online next month! That’s no small task…

Another way that I can use your support is by you helping SikhNet get donations. Let people sponsor and donate to a SikhNet project page that you have setup. We have setup SikhNet on a cool service that will enable you to become a fundraiser for SikhNet. This type of fundraising effort is very similar to how individuals do on a charity bike ride, where they get people to sponsor their ride in support of some charity. People give to their fundraiser bike ride page and the support goes to the charity or the cause.

You will then be directed to "Create a Project". This is your own personal project page that can be to support SikhNet or another charity. You then can add information about yourself raising X amount of money to support SikhNet and give your own personal thoughts about SikhNet. Add pictures…or whatever! I suggest that you put a amount as the goal of your project so that you let people you know are trying to raise X dollars for SikhNet and let them help you reach that goal.

The next step is to assign a charity (SikhNet) to this project so that any donations go to that charity. (Search for "SikhNet" and select SikhNet).

Then share this project with all your friends and family and encourage to donate. You’ll see progress on your page and who has given.

If any of you can help out I would be most grateful! I’m happy to help you with your fundraiser pages and getting started of needed. Let me know if you have any questions or issues. I’ll see you online!